# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2020 Breaking News **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [February 11, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758 "2020-02-11T01:16:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 100
**Author:** ![AdityanathYogi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@AdityanathYogi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdityanathYogi)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1983 "2020-04-05T17:01:48Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > There are also a lot of people with effectively magical beliefs who are desperate for some sort of cure or control for this disease, whose individual opinions, even taken collectively, should inspire scientific research but should not substitute for it. > > If you’ve invested yourself in a belief, it’s very difficult to see the situation in an unbiased way. If it’s just that, why is it being used as prophylaxis for healthcare workers? My thinking is since the intermediaries (raw material) of hcq are exported by China to a very large extent, there’s suspicion that there’s going to be shortage…intermediaries are used to make APIs which finally make finished dosages. ---
**Author:** ![AdityanathYogi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@AdityanathYogi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdityanathYogi)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1984 "2020-04-05T17:10:21Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > From the home page(red coloring from the original) I agree, there’s no 100% proof right now… But there is strong chance imho that it may come in 2-3 months. Till then, I would say doctors will still want to use it based on what they hear from other doctors and based on their own experience with this drug and we should leave it upto them. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1985 "2020-04-05T17:17:42Z")
> [@AdityanathYogi](#): > > If it’s just that, why is it being used as prophylaxis for healthcare workers? Because healthcare workers and their bosses are not immune from folk beliefs? And because their lives are very much on the line, so if it can’t hurt, why WOULDN’T they? I assume they are also wearing lucky socks and praying to saints and basically everything else, because the risk vs. reward is in favour of trying. That doesn’t mean they’re right. I’ve seen about fifteen different things, including garlic, recommended against the coronavirus. At the moment, they are ALL in the same category. So do what you need to do, but be aware that people who can actually evaluate it scientifically are working very hard, and they’ll let you know. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1986 "2020-04-05T17:21:08Z")
Except the world isn’t at risk of having people who really need lucky socks not being unable to get them, so this doesn’t even go into the same category of “if it doesn’t hurt, why not?” There’s a very real risk that this sort of snake oil will, in fact, hurt people and not just people who drink fish tank cleaner. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1987 "2020-04-05T17:26:27Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Except the world isn’t at risk of having people who really need lucky socks not being unable to get them, so this doesn’t even go into the same category of “if it doesn’t hurt, why not?” There’s a very real risk that this sort of snake oil will, in fact, hurt people and not just people who drink fish tank cleaner. That’s true—I was talking about the perspective of the individual taking the medicine. Your point speaks to why people like **AdityanathYogi** should not be spreading the folklore. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1988 "2020-04-05T17:32:53Z")
> [@AdityanathYogi](#): > > If it’s just that, why is it being used as prophylaxis for healthcare workers? > > My thinking is since the intermediaries (raw material) of hcq are exported by China to a very large extent, there’s suspicion that there’s going to be shortage…intermediaries are used to make APIs which finally make finished dosages. Do you have a cite on it being used as prophylaxis for healthcare workers? Any shred of evidence that it works as a prophylactic? If not, it’s being used as a prophylactic because 1. Healthcare workers can be just as stupid and subject to magical thinking as the rest of the population. 2. Too many doctors have bought into the business model of “patient as customer”. I can be a little strident about stuff like this because I fell for it once. It happened when my fiancé had cancer. We saw a WSJ article about the promising breakthrough and found the doctor. We were convinced we were exceptional. We could be in that 2% that survived because we were smarter than everyone else. Like the treatment being pushed now, this cancer breakthrough had amazing in vitro results. The doctor implied his breakthrough was being suppressed by rules and regulations. It didn’t work. After the fact, with a clearer head, I was able to see the red flags we had overlooked in our desperation. Then I spent a few years trying to keep other people from making the same mistakes I did. This came home last week when I clicked on a Fox News link that showed a doctor raving about hydroxychloroquine. The doctor doing the raving was an oncologist. And not just any oncologist, but the same one that scammed us. Caveat Emptor. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1989 "2020-04-05T17:36:32Z")
some people were even claiming cocaine could treat the virus. It’s true some people will believe anything. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1990 "2020-04-05T17:54:16Z")
> [@AdityanathYogi](#): > > [Efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in patients with COVID-19: results of a randomized clinical trial | medRxiv](https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.22.20040758v2) > Besides, a larger proportion of patients with improved pneumonia in the HCQ treatment group (80.6%, 25 of 32) compared with the control group (54.8%, 17 of 32). Notably, all 4 patients progressed to severe illness that occurred in the control group. However, there were 2 patients with mild adverse reactions in the HCQ treatment group. Significance: Among patients with COVID-19, the use of HCQ could significantly shorten TTCR and promote the absorption of pneumonia. My questions would be: What is the randomization protocol? Is it blind? Because it would be easy for a doctor to self-select based on his impression of the patient and their condition and come up with two groups that were demographically and clinically equal but not really equal. This is understandable, I wouldn’t blame the doctor for trying to get the drug to the patients he felt had the best chance of survival. But it doesn’t make for reliable testing. How many early trials are being conducted worldwide? This is still a small study with small numbers. There may be trials being conducted elsewhere where the control patients are doing marginally better than the active patients. Was this preliminary evaluation done at one of the stated endpoints of the trial? If the protocol of your trial involves evaluating the patients after 7 and 14 days, the doctor shouldn’t be publishing or publicizing a 5 day result or a 10 day result. Remember, the flawed French study didn’t even duplicate this result, they didn’t find much effectiveness in the study arm that didn’t receive the z-pack. If this drug had any proven antiviral effect against ANY virus, I’d be way less skeptical. The the fact that it has been tested against multiple viruses and been shown to be consistently ineffective makes me hugely skeptical. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1991 "2020-04-05T18:33:38Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > …This came home last week when I clicked on a Fox News link that showed a doctor raving about hydroxychloroquine. The doctor doing the raving was an oncologist. And not just any oncologist, but the same one that scammed us. Caveat Emptor. Oh wow. That’s… discouraging. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1992 "2020-04-05T18:53:57Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > some people were even claiming cocaine could treat the virus. It’s true some people will believe anything. I’d be willing to give that a go, if you want to send me some, I’ll get started. When we publish our findings you can have top billing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1993 "2020-04-05T19:19:55Z")
Just watched the [Queen’s message](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/we-will-meet-again-queen-urges-strength-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-1.5522615) to Britain and the Commonwealth and the world. It is apparently very rare for the Queen to address people this way. She expressed thanks to everyone on “the front lines” . She reminded everyone of their qualities of caring and quiet, determined resolve. She referenced the first message she had made as a princess with her sister, as children during the Second World War, to children separated from their parents, as we are separated from our loved ones. And she ended by reminding that better days will come, and we will heal. Of course, since I am a middle-aged Canadian of English descent, maybe it resonated more that it might to some people, but for me it was like a comforting talk from my grandmother. Living history and experience. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1994 "2020-04-05T19:40:03Z")
Only 4th adhoc message from the Queen. the others were gulf war , Diana’s death and her 60th year as Queen. Dr. Fauci said virus probably will be seasonal until a vaccine is ready. > **[Fauci says coronavirus deaths in the U.S. will keep rising even as new cases...](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-anthony-fauci-deaths-in-us-will-keep-rising-as-cases-stabilize-face-the-nation/)** > > Fauci warned that the coming week will be "bad" for many Americans and said the country is "struggling" to get the coronavirus under control. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1995 "2020-04-05T19:44:49Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Just watched the [Queen’s message](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/we-will-meet-again-queen-urges-strength-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-1.5522615) to Britain and the Commonwealth and the world. It is apparently very rare for the Queen to address people this way. She expressed thanks to everyone on “the front lines” . She reminded everyone of their qualities of caring and quiet, determined resolve. She referenced the first message she had made as a princess with her sister, as children during the Second World War, to children separated from their parents, as we are separated from our loved ones. And she ended by reminding that better days will come, and we will heal. > > Of course, since I am a middle-aged Canadian of English descent, maybe it resonated more that it might to some people, but for me it was like a comforting talk from my grandmother. Living history and experience. The payoff line was “We will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”. That last part likely has a stronger resonance in the UK than most other places because of the song by Vera Lynn. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1996 "2020-04-05T19:51:01Z")
Good idea from Sen Schumer to put someone in charge of logistics for supplies > ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1997 "2020-04-05T19:54:04Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Just watched the [Queen’s message](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/we-will-meet-again-queen-urges-strength-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-1.5522615) to Britain and the Commonwealth and the world. It is apparently very rare for the Queen to address people this way. She expressed thanks to everyone on “the front lines” . She reminded everyone of their qualities of caring and quiet, determined resolve. She referenced the first message she had made as a princess with her sister, as children during the Second World War, to children separated from their parents, as we are separated from our loved ones. And she ended by reminding that better days will come, and we will heal. > > Of course, since I am a middle-aged Canadian of English descent, maybe it resonated more that it might to some people, but for me it was like a comforting talk from my grandmother. Living history and experience. > [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > The payoff line was “We will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”. That last part likely has a stronger resonance in the UK than most other places because of the song by Vera Lynn. Reading about this brought tears to my eyes. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1998 "2020-04-05T20:08:03Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Good idea from Sen Schumer to put someone in charge of logistics for supplies > > [https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1246860084577284099](https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1246860084577284099) You can forget that bastard Chump going along with _any_ idea from Schumer. On the contrary, he will fight that tooth and nail. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1999 "2020-04-05T20:23:06Z")
Boris Johnson admitted to hospital for “tests”: [Coronavirus: Boris Johnson admitted to hospital over virus symptoms - BBC News](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52177125) > [@](#): > > Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital for tests, 10 days after testing positive for coronavirus, Downing Street has said. > > Mr Johnson “continues to have persistent symptoms of coronavirus”, a spokeswoman said. > > It was described as a “precautionary step” taken on the advice of his doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2000 "2020-04-05T20:24:08Z")
The UK PM Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital. He’d previously tested positive for coronavirus about ten days ago, but now needs further tests apparently. Downing Street is emphasising “precautionary” etc. Source: literally every UK news org, who collectively have just made my phone explode Further tests in a hospital? ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2001 "2020-04-05T20:49:58Z")
I was curious so I looked it up and there is no deputy PM in the UK, last one left office in 2015. The deputy PM does not automatically take over if the PM dies or can’t work. I guess they would have to pick someone to take over if Johnson is sick for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2020, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2002 "2020-04-05T20:53:38Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I was curious so I looked it up and there is no deputy PM in the UK, last one left office in 2015. The deputy PM does not automatically take over if the PM dies or can’t work. I guess they would have to pick someone to take over if Johnson is sick for a while. In this instance it’s Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, per previous sources. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=99) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=101)